Stepney
Stepney *'Number': 55 *'Built': 1875, rebuilt in 1912 *'Builder': Brighton Works *'Designer': William Stroudley *'Configuration': 0-6-0T Stepney, named after a district in London, is a tank engine from the Bluebell Railway. He is Boxhill's brother. Bio in the Railway Series Stepney was built at Brighton Works in Brighton, England in 1875 and later rebuilt in 1912. He arrived on the Bluebell Railway on May 17th, 1960, after the railway's founder Bernard Holden MBE helped to save the line for preservation. Stepney was the first engine to be rescued by the Bluebell Railway. In 1963, Stepney came on loan to Sodor and worked briefly with Duck at Tidmouth before working on Thomas' Branch Line, during which time he caught a cricket ball in a truck while passing the Elsbridge cricket field. Towards the end of his stay, he returned to Tidmouth, and on his last day double-headed the Express with Duck after The Diesel failed. In June 2008, Stepney was withdrawn from service as his boiler certificate had expired. He has since had a fast-track overhaul so that he could be back in service for the "Bluebell 50th" gala in early August 2010. However, due to his "tired condition", Stepney was only being allowed to carry out light-duties. He was withdrawn from service in March 2014, though his current boiler certificate will expire in April 2015. It is unknown if he will be given a major overhaul now that he was been withdrawn or wait his turn in the Sheffield Park Engine Shed. Bio in the television series Stepney was stranded on a siding in a scrapyard on the Other Railway when Rusty found him and convinced him to travel with him to the Bluebell Railway. Stepney later visited Sodor to have a change from his line, and again to help Toby and Mavis at the quarry. This excursion nearly ended in disaster after 'Arry and Bert tried to scrap Stepney, luckily without success, after Stepney accidentally ventured into the scrapyards. Stepney later visited for unknown reasons in one episode, apparently to help Duck again, and was later helped by Edward with the running of a new loop line. During a later visit, he was hit by a truck of sugar in an incident caused by Rosie. Persona Stepney is a bubbly, honest, and humble chap who is busting with enthusiasm. He is very eager to please and is every engine's friend. Even if an engine might not like him at first, his personality wins them over. After being saved from scrap by Rusty and the Bluebell Railway, he now runs his own branch line, but loves helping out on the Fat Controller's Railway. He has an enthusiasm for learning and listening to advice, as well as keeping busy. Stepney can feel down in the dumps if he does not get enough work to do or if he does not get a good long run to stretch his wheels. Stepney is high-spirited, lively, and is keen to see fair play. He is popular amongst the engines and is always game for more work. Basis Stepney is based on the real engine of the same name, an LB&SCR A1x Class "Terrier" 0-6-0T tank locomotive. He is Boxhill's brother. Livery Stepney was painted in the goldenrod locomotive livery of the LB&SCR, formally known as "Stroudley's Improved Engine Green". In 2010, He was painted in "Bluebell Black". On January 14th, 2012, Stepney made an "only-morning" appearance in BR Lined Black with "cycling lion" crest and his BR number, 32655, for a special photographic charter. He carried the same BR Lined Black livery again on April 17th, 2012 for another photographic charter; this time though with the later "ferret and dartboard" crest. He returned to "Bluebell Black" in time for his visit to the National Railway Museum's "Railfest" in the first week of June 2012. In 2014, Stepney was repainted back into his "Stroudley's Improved Engine Green" livery. Appearances Voice Actor * Bin Shimada (Japan; fourth and fifth seasons) Theme Instrumental Trivia * Stepney's model is currently on display at Drayton Manor. * Stepney is, as of 29th March 2014, withdrawn from service, following the failure of his main steam pipe. He retained his black livery with red lining, which replicates that which he carried upon his arrival at the Bluebell Railway in May 1960. A future overhaul has not been ruled out. In October of 2014, Stepney was repainted into his "Stroudley's Improved Engine Green" livery. * Alec Baldwin gives Stepney a Cockney accent. This may have been intentional, as Stepney is a region of East London, and the inhabitants of that area, amongst others, were known as Cockneys. * The prototype of Stepney's 1996 Wooden Railway model has the original face and magnets of Thomas. * When the president of the Bluebell Railway Bernard Holden MBE died, aged 104 on October 4th, 2012, Stepney headed his funeral train on the 16th, due to his being the first engine that the railway rescued. * The Official Website incorrectly stated that Stepney was a narrow gauge engine. * In the third illustration of Bluebells of England, Stepney is seen without a face. This is because the Rev. W. Awdry intended that engines must not have faces unless they are on Sodor. * In the Spanish dub of the show, he is known as the Hyacinth engine instead of the Bluebell engine. In the Dutch dub, he is known as the Violet engine. * Both of Stepney's appearances in Season 7 were made up of stock footage. * In the television series, Stepney never had his own whistle sound, other engines' whistles were used for his. * Excluding music videos, Stepney only used one face mask throughout the sixth season. Merchandise * ERTL (discontinued) * Wooden Railway (reissued in a three-pack; discontinued) * Take-Along (discontinued) * Take-n-Play * Motor Road and Rail (discontinued) * TrackMaster * Hornby (discontinued) * Trading Cards (discontinued) * My Thomas Story Library (discontinued) * Bandai (several versions; discontinued) * De Agostini (discontinued) * Nakayoshi (discontinued) * Wind-up Trains (Japan only) * Brio (discontinued) Gallery File:Stepney'sSpecialRS1.png|Stepney and Edward in the Railway Series File:BluebellsofEnglandRS4.png|Stepney and the Diesels File:TrainStopsPlayRS6.png|Stepney and Caroline File:BowledOutRS4.png File:BowledOutRS5.png|Stepney with his Controller File:BowledOutRS6.png File:RustytotheRescue6.png|Stepney and Rusty File:RustytotheRescue58.jpg|Stepney in the Scrapyard File:RustytotheRescue13.png File:RustytotheRescue32.png|Stepney in the fourth season File:ThomasandStepney26.jpg File:ThomasandStepney10.jpg|Stepney takes on water File:ThomasandStepney6.jpg|Stepney and Duck File:ThomasandStepney9.jpg|Stepney Pulling the Special ThomasandStepney42.jpg File:ThomasandStepney8.jpg|Stepney and Thomas File:TrainStopsPlay4.png TrainStopsPlay13.png File:TrainStopsPlay17.png|Percy and Stepney TrainStopsPlay18.png File:TrainStopsPlay23.png File:TrainStopsPlay29.png|Stepney's Driver File:TrainStopsPlay45.png File:BowledOut25.png File:BowledOut39.png File:BowledOut41.png File:BowledOut48.png File:BowledOut20.png File:BowledOut55.png File:StepneyGetsLost8.png File:StepneyGetsLost17.png|Stepney in the fifth season File:StepneyGetsLost23.png File:StepneyGetsLost6.png|Stepney with Mavis File:StepneyGetsLost26.png File:StepneyGetsLost37.png File:StepneyGetsLost49.png File:Boo,Boo,Choo,Choo.jpg|Stepney sleeping File:Boo,Boo,Choo,Choo13.png|Stepney in his shed File:PercyandtheHauntedMine10.png|Stepney at Callan Station File:JamesandtheRedBalloon6.png|Stepney with Duck File:EdwardtheVeryUsefulEngine8.jpg File:EdwardtheVeryUsefulEngine2.png|Stepney passes the windmill File:EdwardtheVeryUsefulEngine.png|Stepney in the sixth season File:Rosie'sFunfairSpecial35.jpg|Stepney in the twelfth season File:Rosie'sFunfairSpecial36.jpg|Stepney's whistle File:Rosie'sFunfairSpecial13.jpg File:Rosie'sFunfairSpecial22.PNG|Stepney with a CGI Face File:Stepneywithnameboard.png|Stepney with nameboard File:StepneyTVModel.jpg|Stepney's Model File:StepneyPromo.jpg|Stepney Take-N-Play Promo File:StepneyDraytonManor.jpg|Stepney's model at Drayton Manor File:DraytonManorStepney.JPG File:RealStepney.jpg|The real Stepney File:Stepneyinhiscurrentlivery.jpg|The real Stepney in Black Livery Merchandise Gallery File:WoodenRailwayStepney.jpg|Wooden Railway Prototype File:NewWoodenRailwayStepney.JPG|2003 Wooden Railway File:WoodenRailwayStepneywithMusuemCars.jpg|Wooden Railway Stepney with Museum Cars File:TOMYStepney.jpg|Motor Road and Rail File:TrackmasterStepney.jpg|TrackMaster File:Take-AlongStepney.png|Take-Along File:BrioStepney.JPG|Brio File:HornbyStepney.png|Hornby File:DiAgostiniStepney.PNG|De Agostini File:BandaiTECStepney.png|Bandai TEC File:Wind-upStepney.jpg|Wind-Up File:MyThomasStoryLibraryStepney.png|Story Library book File:StepneyStoryLibraryBook2.png|Story Library book alternate cover File:Stepney2011StoryLibrarybook.jpg|2011 Story Library book See also * Category:Images of Stepney External links For more information, visit Stepney's page on the Bluebell Railway website. Category:Bluebell Railway Category:Steam locomotives Category:0-6-0 Category:Real Engines Category:Tank engines Category:Other railways Category:Visiting Engines Category:Stepney's Branch Line Category:North Western Railway